


Bound to Be There For You

by ConvenientAlias



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Bound Together, F/F, Identity Porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 01:32:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14153787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: It starts with a lamp-post, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and a huge shoelace.Chloe wants to believe in Ladybug as her personal hero, but Ladybug might not be so comfortable with the designation.





	Bound to Be There For You

Chloe had been attacked by a number of akuma in her time and so her current situation, bound to the top of a lamp-post by a giant shoelace with a gloating akuma on the ground, was not all that unfamiliar to her. Having company in the situation, on the other hand, was.

It was making the experience significantly more unpleasant.

“Stop squirming,” she complained. “Do you want us to fall?” She elbowed Marinette in the back—they were tied on opposite sides of the lamp-post, backs not quite touching each other, legs actually tied together at the ankle. The position was not exactly stable. If Marinette kept on struggling against the ties, they might come too loose, and the two of them would fall about a dozen feet to hard cement.

“I want us to not be tied to a lamp-post,” Marinette huffed.

“Well, it doesn’t look like what you’re doing is helping anyway. Calm down. I thought you had sense.”

Marinette muttered something under her breath but she slumped back. Her legs twitched against Chloe’s, and Chloe would have flinched away if she could. Their proximity was not completely comfortable, but that was the only place where their skin touched—neither she nor Marinette wore socks, so their ankles rubbed against each other. An odd place to touch, really. She had tripped Marinette a couple times in the past and thought it was funny (the girl was so awkward, really) but she would never have prolonged the contact. It was weird.

Marinette was still fidgeting.

“Hold still. I’m not going to die because you can’t be patient for ten minutes.”

“Patient?”

Chloe sighed. She would have to give Marinette some leeway. While Chloe had been held hostage dozens of times before, Marinette was attacked much more seldom, largely because she was at the center of fewer controversies, never made anyone mad. Marinette lacked experience with akuma. And thus, she lacked experience with what it meant to wait to be rescued. Chloe would have to be her mentor.

“If you’ll just wait a little longer, we won’t be stuck for that long. Ladybug will come and rescue us.” She couldn’t help a little smile at the thought, though Marinette, facing away from her, wouldn’t be able to see it.

“Maybe Ladybug’s busy.”

“She might defeat the akuma first,” Chloe admitted. “But she’ll get around to us. Just think—you’ll get to see her in action! Don’t you usually miss these things?”

Marinette coughed. “I usually try to avoid akuma fights.” She shrugged, and Chloe resisted the urge to elbow her again. She really needed to stop moving. “Well, if Ladybug doesn’t come, I suppose Chat Noir will.”

“Maybe he will, but you can bet Ladybug will be the one to save the day.”

“I’m sure she’ll do her best.” Marinette sounded a little amused.

“Why don’t you have any faith in Ladybug?”

“I do! She’s, um…she’s great. But you can’t always depend on her. Even Ladybug is only human.”

“Ladybug is incredible. She’s saved Paris every time there’s been an akuma attack. She works well with Chat Noir, but she’s the one who ultimately saves the day.” Chloe smirked. “I suppose you might not know her that well, but I know her intimately. She’s saved me thirty-two times now.”

“Thirty-two times? …have you been keeping count?” There was a touch of wonder in Marinette’s voice.

“Obviously. You know as a public figure I get targeted a lot. Well, Ladybug is always there to rescue me. She has never failed me once.” Chloe wanted to cross her arms, proud of all the times Ladybug had come for her, but unfortunately they were tied securely at her sides. “That’s how you know she’s a genuine hero. So you can just wait for her to show up. Maybe you can talk to her. She always stops to talk to me.”

“But…you’ve been keeping count?”

Despite herself, Chloe blushed at Marinette’s confused tone. She wasn’t ashamed of admiring Ladybug, damn it. But hearing someone else describe it…well, it was a little embarrassing. “I keep track of my encounters with her because she is a cultural icon. Anyone would. I’m sure you keep track of how many times you’ve spoken to Chat Noir?” It was well known that Marinette was something of a Chat Noir fan.

“What? I don’t…”

“Anyways Ladybug will be here soon. And then you can talk to her too. So calm down.”

Marinette went back to murmuring something under her breath but Chloe couldn’t hear it and at least she’d stopped moving. Perhaps Chloe had comforted her. She liked to think that she was something like Ladybug, good in times of crisis, able to help the helpless. With that in mind, she inched her hand a little closer to Marinette’s. She almost took her hand, but decided not to at the last moment. Just a bit too much…touching. Instead, she patted Marinette’s hand comfortingly. Marinette curled her fingers up though, and caught Chloe’s fingers, just by the tips.

“It’s amazing how much you trust Ladybug,” she said. “Do you really admire her that much?”

“How could I not? She’s saved us hundreds of times. Not only does she save, but she heals people and she fixes disasters when the battles are over. And…” Chloe’s cheeks felt hot again. She could leave this out, really, but she had to do Ladybug justice. “She’s just a good person. She’s always polite. A lot of people say that it’s my fault when akumas attack me, but she is always nice. And she protects me.” Her heart jumped a little bit. When Marinette didn’t say anything in response she cleared her throat. “She’s just cool. Everyone likes her, I think. And she’ll definitely rescue me again today, so you don’t have to worry.”

Marinette didn’t answer. She released Chloe’s fingers. Below them, the akuma paced impatiently in tall, well laced boots. Chloe breathed in deeply. She had to admit that despite trusting Ladybug, she was a little nervous herself, even though it felt treacherous to lose her confidence in her savior. But she couldn’t say anything about that to Marinette. Marinette was nervous enough already.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Marinette smelled like the bakery, today a combination of sugar cookies and maybe a hint of chocolate. Chloe knew the scent well enough, though she’d never been this close to it for this long before. She’d once or twice tried to find a perfume similar to it and always failed. Though she wasn’t sure she’d want to smell like that anyhow—she preferred flowery notes, herself—so she wasn’t sure why she’d wanted it.

“You shouldn’t be scared, Marinette,” she said. “Everything will be fine. Just trust me, and trust Ladybug.”

“Yes,” Marinette said, and her voice was steady now, even resolved. “You’re right. Ladybug will save you.”

That was around when Chat Noir arrived. He chased the akuma off (though of course he couldn’t purify it, and it waited at a distance), and got the shoelace off Marinette and Chloe. He helped them to slide down the pole rather than falling, bowed, and ran off.

“We should probably go,” Marinette said. She was eyeing a quiet alleyway, away from the akuma’s attention.

“What? Why should we? Ladybug will be here any minute.”

“Because we could get attacked again. It’s not safe…”

“Chat Noir is here and Ladybug will be any minute. There’s no real danger.” Chloe sat down and leaned against the pole, even though a couple minutes ago it had been digging hard into her back. “I’m going to wait to see her again.”

“I don’t think that’s wise.”

“Well then _you_ go. I trust Ladybug.”

Marinette ran off. But Chloe waited. And Ladybug did arrive soon. But when she defeated the akuma, she did not stay to talk to Chloe.

Well, she was busy after all.

 

* * *

 

She would have catalogued the incident under “Ladybug sighting, but no encounter” and also under “annoying experiences with Marinette, why is she so warm and why does she smell so good” and let it rest, except that night she met Ladybug again. And for the first time, it had nothing to do with an akuma attack.

Ladybug came to her window. Tapping, lightly. She was not asleep yet so she came over right away. She half expected it to be another akuma at first—would have been irritating at this time of night—but no, it was something much better. She let Ladybug in, and Ladybug leaned against her wall.

“Ladybug. It’s so great to see you! Is there danger in the city? Oh, can I help you with anything?”

“I guess I wanted to thank you.” Ladybug shrugged. “I met Marinette Dupain-Cheng after the attack and she said you helped her get through the crisis. So, thanks.”

Chloe flipped her hair. “No problem. I’m just doing what you would have done.”

Ladybug chuckled. “Yeah. You’re strong. You’re always very brave.”

Carefully, she put a hand on Chloe’s shoulder. Chloe trembled under the hand. Ladybug had touched her many times—held her in her arms, shielded her with her body, definitely touched her more than this. But something about this touch was very deliberate.

“You told her I would always be there to save you.”

“Well, you are.”

Ladybug sighed. “I try to be. But I wish you would keep out of trouble. It’s difficult always saving you.”

“What? I don’t try to get into trouble. Why would I do that? Anyways, I…” Chloe blinked. Her eyes were beginning to water. “Well, I don’t need you to save me. If I have to I can save myself.”

“No, no no no. I’m not saying I won’t save you. I just…” Ladybug shrugged. She drew her hand back and put it at her side. “You put a lot of trust in me, and maybe more than you should. I might not always be able to get to you in time.”

“But you always have been.”

“But I might not always.”

“But you always will!” Chloe threw out her hands. How could Ladybug herself not understand this? “You’re a hero. That’s what you do—you save people. So I know I’m safe.”

She grabbed Ladybug and hugged her, fiercely. Ladybug always felt solid against her. She was made of muscle, especially that strong back. Chloe clutched at her back. “You’ll always be there,” she said. “Don’t say those sorts of things, okay? You can’t say things like that.”

Ladybug patted her back, gently. “Fine. I’ll always be there. Just be careful.”

Chloe nodded. “I’m always careful. I don’t like akumas, I just…”

“You could try not to make so many people angry.”

“I don’t try to make people angry.”

Ladybug had stilled in Chloe’s arms. Clearly she was waiting for Chloe to let go. But Chloe didn’t. “You think I’m a bitch, just like everyone else.” Her hands clenched against Ladybug’s shoulder blades. “I’m not. I can’t help what other people think. I can’t help it if…”

“I don’t think you’re a bitch,” Ladybug said. But she sounded like she was lying.

“I don’t try to hurt people.”

Silence. Then, “I guess you don’t.”

“You do think I’m a bitch,” Chloe realized. “You really do.”

She let go of Ladybug and turned away. She stared over at her closet, full of shirts and pants and dresses she never actually wore. Her legs were trembling, but she couldn’t help it. “Fine. You can think that about me if you want.”

“No, I…”

“I told you you didn’t have to save me. You don’t have to like me either. Do you think I need someone like you to pity me?”

“I don’t pity you.” That came out blunt enough.

“I don’t need anyone to pity me. And I can take care of myself. So get out.”

Ladybug hesitated.

“If you’re worried I’m going to get akumatized like the last time we fought, forget it. That won’t happen to me again. I’m fine. So get out.”

She didn’t get akumatized. Lightning rarely struck in the same place twice. But she snapped a little more at Sabrina the next day, and she barely refrained from hurting anyone enough to akumatize them. She didn’t want to be a target today. She didn’t want to be saved.

As she left school that day she saw Marinette staring at her. She looked a little sad, though with Marinette who could tell? Marinette who smelled like sugar cookies and chocolate. Marinette who didn’t believe Ladybug was so great at all. Marinette who was probably right.

Chloe turned away from her. But when she was on the street Marinette caught up with her and tugged her arm. She spun around. “What do you want?”

“You seem to be upset today. I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it.” Marinette was smiling much too wide.

“You’re annoying.”

“I’m worried about you.”

Chloe scowled. Worried about her? Forget it. No one who worried about her ever really got what actually bothered her. Sabrina worried only because she wanted Chloe to prais her; Chloe’s father wanted her to stop complaining and would give her things until she shut up. Marinette, now, was worried about her because she worried about everyone in the school. Chloe didn’t need that. “You can cut it out.”

“Fine. I don’t know what’s bothering you.” Marinette crossed her arms. “Is it to do with Ladybug?”

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

“You seemed excited about meeting her yesterday, but today you’re upset.”

“Look, I don’t care about Ladybug! So why would I be upset because of her?”

“You seemed to care a lot about her yesterday.”

Chloe snorted. “I was just trying to calm you down. Ladybug’s a hero but she’s not all that great. Anyway we aren’t friends.”

She started walking but Marinette kept pace with her. “What?”

“Oh…would you like to study together?”

“Why would I want to study with you?”

“Because I actually pay attention in class.”

“Fine. But I don’t need anyone’s help, and I’m not upset about anything.”

They studied together for a couple hours in the library. Marinette didn’t push her. She was actually very helpful. Chloe wondered if they would study again sometime but she didn’t ask. She didn’t need to look desperate, not when Marinette already thought she was weak.

 

* * *

 

A week later, an akuma trapped her in a large refrigerator room with Adrien. Adrien wouldn’t stop banging on the door.

Chloe shook her head. “You’re wasting your energy.”

He muttered something about leaving his bag outside.

Chloe rolled her eyes. She loved Adrien but he could get overexcited. “Chat Noir will save us. We’ll be fine.”

“Chat Noir might be otherwise occupied.”

“Why doesn’t anyone in our class trust Paris’ superheroes to do their job? He’ll get here just fine. He always does.”

Adrien sighed. “I’m waiting for Ladybug.”  He sat down against the door. “She’s a better bet than Chat Noir.”

“Ladybug won’t come,” Chloe said dismissively.

“What? Why?”

“I told her not to come rescue me again. She seemed to get the message.” Chloe crossed her arms. “It’ll be fine. Chat Noir will come.”

Adrien laughed nervously. “There’s no way Ladybug would just stop rescuing you because you asked her to.”

“She better not. I don’t need her.”

“I might.”

“We can just wait for Chat Noir.”

But Chat Noir failed them. In the end, Ladybug broke the lock on the fridge and got them out. Adrien ran off, calling a thanks over his shoulder. Chloe glared at Ladybug and began to follow him, but Ladybug grabbed her shoulder before she could, and wouldn’t let go.

“I told you not to rescue me. Don’t think I’ll say thanks.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you had it handled.”

“I don’t want you to apologize either. Why did you bother? I would have been fine.”

“It’s my job, isn’t it? Being a hero. Your hero.” Ladybug pulled Chloe around to face her. “Saving you is what I do. You know that by now.”

She was being earnest. Chloe bit her lip. “I don’t want…”

“And I don’t think you’re a bitch. Insensitive? Maybe. Sometimes even mean. But you have a good side too. And I know that you’re trying.”

That was a low blow. Chloe sometimes tried to be nice but not always. Most of the time she did figure it didn’t matter who she hurt—people were resilient, and if they were hurt too badly Ladybug would clean up after her. But she couldn’t say that to Ladybug, insult herself. Instead she muttered, “Thanks.”

“Are we good?” Ladybug asked.

“I guess we can be friends again,” Chloe said. “If you promise to not back out on rescuing me.”

“I said I wouldn’t.”

Chat Noir dropped down from the ceiling. “Sorry to interrupt, milady, but there’s still an akuma out there turning people into gingerbread. I think we have a job to do.”

Ladybug nodded. She took Chloe by the arms, pulled her close, and gently kissed her on the forehead. “Stay safe.”

With that, she bounced after Chat Noir.

Chloe lightly touched her forehead. Well, it had been a friendly kiss. Probably. Right?

Probably.

Either way, she was on good terms with Ladybug again. This made thirty-four times they had spoken to each other, even if the thirty-third had been completely miserable. Chloe was on the way up.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the trope bingo square of "handcuffed/bound together". I tried to play with Chloe's Ladybug-worship, but I feel like it's hard to explain it when Chloe's in denial about, well, a lot of stuff, and Marinette's POV is absent. So...perhaps a better fic another day.  
> Hope you enjoyed anyhow. Comments much appreciated.


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